SPCA sets up barn tour
The SPCA’s Annual Barn Tour is this coming Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year’s event will go to a new part of Aiken, the southern equestrian corridor, where you will see nine lovely barns on roads with names like Boyd Pond Road, Gone Away Lane and Storm Branch Leg. As unique as the road names are, the barns are even more special.
The best part is that you get a perhaps one-time chance to see these privately owned barns, graciously offered to the SPCA for this fun event.
You’ve probably driven by many of these farms and wondered what they were like on the inside. This is your chance to find out firsthand, while benefitting the animal shelter and spay/neuter clinic.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the main shelter at 401 Wire Road, at the new downtown Aiken Thrift Store at 404 Richland Ave. or Southside at Auto Tech, 460 Silver Bluff Road. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone by calling the shelter at 648-6863 or at the barns the day of the event.
With your tickets, you will also receive a map of all of the barns, plus a description of what to expect to see at each location, along with a booklet filled with the day’s schedule of events to see.
There will be a freestyle dressage demonstration and a display of natural horsemanship, and even some arena polo will be available for viewing.
For those who want to see a glance into the future of animal welfare, there will be an informational display about the new Adoption Center and Regional Spay and Neuter Clinic to be built soon on Willow Run Road. Complimentary lunch and dessert can also be found along the route, in case your stomach starts to rumble.
There will be a variety of interesting things going on at each barn. They can be seen in any order.
There will be nine beautiful barns to tour, exciting events, good food, fantastic animals to meet and mingling with hundreds of fellow animal lovers all supporting a great cause while having fun at the same time. It doesn’t get much better than that.
The SPCA also still needs a few more volunteers the day of the event to help with parking and checking tickets. For more information or to help out, call the shelter at 648-6863.
Don’t miss out on a chance to help the Aiken SPCA in a fun way. You’ll be talking about the sites you see for a long time afterward.
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Barn Tour aids SPCA animals
Explore several barns on Aiken’s Southside and help the animals at the Aiken SPCA.
The nonprofit organization presents its third annual Barn Tour on Saturday, April 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and invites the public to tour at their leisure nine barns in the equestrian corridor off Silver Bluff Road to benefit the dogs and cats that call the SPCA home until they are adopted.
A map of the tour is available upon ticket purchase with proceeds going to shelter operations.
“We just say, ‘Go enjoy the barns,’” said Ann Kinney, who helps with marketing at the SPCA. “They can go in whatever order they want or follow the suggested route on the map.”
Kinney said a person does not have to be a seasoned horse person to enjoy the tour. They can simply be interested in the architecture of the barns or intrigued by a farm’s operations.
New to the tour this year are equestrian demonstrations and complimentary lunch, coffee and dessert.
Specific barns on the route will show arena polo, natural horsemanship or freestyle dressage.
Stop five is Sharer Dale’s Greystone Farms, where lunch will be served. Other barns will offer coffee or dessert.
SPCA Executive Director Gary Willoughby said several hundred people have attended in previous years, much to the delight of Aiken SPCA staff.
“They (the barns) are impressive to a lot of them because of their detail,” Kinney said.
Tickets include a $5 coupon to the SPCA Thrift Store on 404 Richland Ave. E. Tickets are $25 each and are available at the SPCA, 401 Wire Road, the thrift store and Auto Tech, 460 Silver Bluff Road. For more information, call 648-6863.
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SPCA Barn tour! 11th April 09
Satisfy your curiosity as to what lies behind the wide, sturdy doors of local barns with the Aiken SPCA’s second Barn Tour.
Tickets are available now for the Saturday, April 11 event showcasing nine area barns, with all proceeds benefitting the homeless dogs and cats at the nonprofit rescue group’s shelter.
SPCA Events Coordinator Tracey Souci said this year’s tour is “fun and funky” featuring small to large and fancy to quaint barns representing many of the riding and training disciplines of the Aiken horse community.
“It’s a way to learn something and have fun,” she said. “Horse owners can get ideas for their own barns and for people who don’t own horses, they can get a peek into the private lives of horse people. What’s down that long drive? How did the people get here and what do they do with their horses?”
Attendees will be given a map and the description of each barn once they purchase their tickets. The tour is self-guided and will take place from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Barns may be toured in any order.
Tickets are $25 each or two for $45. They are available at Malia’s, Auto Tech, the Aiken SPCA or at the Aiken SPCA Thrift Store. Only the Aiken SPCA can take payment by credit card.
For more information, call 522-2203.
Some of the barns that will be featured are …
Marvin Slosman’s Ridge Runner Farm
“Marvin is a passionate polo player and patron. He describes his barn as functional for horses first, but also comfortable for people. Marvin and his Argentine polo players enjoy the tradition of socializing with opposing players around the Asado/Argentine BBQ. Meet Marvin’s buckskin mare, La Gata, the ‘Queen of the barn.’ Be sure to walk through the attractive adjoining barn apartment.”
Joann and Fred Rawn’s Black Pearl Friesian Farm
“Drive the curving driveway through paddocks and oak trees to this graceful barn built by Fred Rawn construction. See their four elegant black Friesian horses and two adorable mini horses. Walk through the owner’s lovely, roomy apartment above the barn to see the expansive views from the balconies.”
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